Season

Gooseberries are the earliest ripening of the

soft fruits and according to taste can be

harvested from mid June until late July. 

The culinary varieties are normally picked

first to obtain the characteristic sharp taste.

Dessert varieties nowadays tend to be red

and are picked as soon as they have developed

the colour.

Picking

Gooseberries have a tough skin and are easy

to pick by simply holding the berry firmly,

and breaking the stalk with a sharp pull.

Varieties

Older varieties of Gooseberry have been

plagued by mildew disease which is harmless

to the consumer, but spoils the appearance

of the fruit.  The old culinary variety

Careless suffered from this, and the dessert

variety Whinham's Industry was almost

impossible to grow in a wet year.

The new green variety Invicta and the red

varieties Rokula and Pax, are resistant to

this annoying disease, and you can expect

to see them widely planted.